UAE announces longer school year

The UAE’s Ministerial Development Council has approved longer school years going forward for pupils in the country.

The calendar applies to public and private schools using the Ministry of Education’s curriculum and foreign curriculums from 2018 to 2021.

Although there is some flexibility in terms of increasing or decreasing the number of term days by under a week at private schools offering foreign curriculums if they receive permission from local authorities.

Abu Dhabi’s Department of Knowledge and Development asked schools to increase the calendar from 175 to 180 days last year. This meant pupils finished their term on July 5.

Schools in Dubai were able to adjust their calendar so long as was not less than 180 days in duration.

The 2018-2019 academic year will have 182 school days, including exam days, at public and private institutions and begin on August 28 for teachers and September 2 for students.

Schools following ministry curriculum

Pupils at schools that follow the ministry curriculum will have 20 working days off for Winter Break from December 16 to January 10, 2019, while teachers will be off from December 23 until January 1

Students will return on January 13, 2019 and teachers on January 6. Spring Break will then take place from March 31 to April 11 for students and March 31 to April 4 for staff.

Lessons for students will resume on April 14 and end on July 4, with teachers attending from April 7 to July 11.

For the next academic year the Winter break for students will be December 16 to January 3, with study resuming on January 6. Spring break will be from March 31 to April 14 and the school year will end on July 4.

Schools following a private curriculum

Students at schools with a private curriculum will have Winter break from December 16 to January 3, 2019. School will then resume on January 6, 2019 and Spring break will begin on March 31.

Pupils will return on April 14 with the year ending on July 4. Academic staff must stay slightly longer until July 11.